Johnstown man pioneering new energy source

October 24, 2012|By BRUCE SIWY | Sunday Editor

It’s like water to wine or lead to gold.

Howard F. Walker of Johnstown is touting a new process that he said can change the way petroleum is manufactured.

“We’re not just producing a biofuel,” he said. “We are literally converting algae into diesel fuel. This has the potential for the state of Pennsylvania to be able to produce petro diesel without drilling.”

Since 2006 he and a half-dozen volunteers have been working to remove algae from acid mine drainage sites to test a new conversion process. Their goal was to make a gasoline-like renewable fuel.

But according to Walker, they were instead able to produce medium petroleum crude oil — also known as diesel fuel.

Walker is vice president and CEO of U.S. Alternative Fuels, a registered member of the National Biodiesel Board. He is hoping to move his small-scale operation into the realm of a major industrial player.

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“We would like to start producing on a commercial scale,” he said. “Our goal has always been to clean up the environment, produce jobs and produce fuel for this area.”

Walker likened his process to a method used by the Germans during World War II to make margarine from vegetables during shortages. The algae is kept wet and moved through a high-pressure system to remove water, nitrates and other fillers. The remaining oils and carbohydrates — which comprise more than 20 percent of the algae — are then converted to a potent black biodiesel.

Though the product has not been tested in vehicles or machinery, Walker said it tested as pure diesel in an independent study by B.E.A.R. Oceanics, another biofuel research entity that was recently featured on MSNBC. He is awaiting results from Penn State University.

According to Walker, the sample tested with an API gravity of 32.71º, which is a characteristic of medium petroleum crude oil. With a gross heat of combustion of 134,258 btu/gal, U.S. Alternative Fuels' new product ranks just above 2-D fuel and just below kerosene.

Diesel engine owners could only use fuel blends containing 20 percent or less biodiesel, Walker said, noting that his product will not need to be blended with other fuels for use.

Walker moved to the Johnstown area years ago with his wife to raise a family after receiving his degree in motion picture productions from the Bucks County Community College. But science has been his passion of late. He and his volunteers have done their work for more than four years without loans or grants.

“I have just been really dedicated because I believe in what I am doing,” he said. “Something told me to stay with it. I ignored everybody and followed my heart and this is what we’ve got.”

The site he and the other volunteers have focused on is Oven Run No. 4 in Shade Township. One problem he is looking to resolve for his research is quantity: Because algae is 70 percent water, only a small percentage can be used as fuel. He estimated that 10 gallons of algae can produce 2.5 gallons of biodiesel.

Walker said he plans to install solar panels on the roof of his Johnstown facility to power the conversion process. He added that his alternative fuel source is renewable and burns 90 percent cleaner than regular diesel.

His company has begun an Indiegogo crowdsourcing campaign to fundraise for his project. He said he needs money to upgrade his facilities and to obtain a commercial license.

Walker’s research was made possible by the Somerset County Conservancy, which allowed him to take samples from the drainage pond. This was also a service to the conservancy, as the algae has to be cleaned every six months or so to prevent clogs in the piping.

Conservancy President Jim Moses said Walker approached him with his plans about four years ago.

“He’s been an outstanding member of the conservancy,” he said. “We’re very pleased for him. If we can find another use for acid mine drainage other than polluting our water, it would be marvelous.”

According to Moses, Walker was granted the use of the property with the understanding that they could negotiate some sort of lease if he became commercially successful.

He wished him luck.

“It would be marvelous if he can,” Moses said. “I really hope he is successful.”